I Rise

By: Marie Arnold

Narrated by: Marcella Cox

A heartbreaking and powerful novel about racism and social justice as fourteen-year-old Ayo has to decide whether to take on her mother's activist role when her mom is shot by police. As she tries to find answers, Ayo looks to the wisdom of her ancestors and her Harlem community for guidance.

Ayo's mother founded the biggest civil rights movement to hit New York City in decades. It’s called ‘See Us’ and it tackles police brutality and racial profiling in Harlem. Ayo has spent her entire life being an activist and now, she wants out. She wants to get her first real kiss, have a boyfriend, and just be a normal teen.

When her mom is put into a coma after a riot breaks out between protesters and police, protestors want Ayo to become the face of See Us and fight for justice for her mother who can no longer fight for herself. While she deals with her grief and anger, Ayo must also discover if she has the strength to take over where her mother left off.

This impactful and unforgettable novel takes on the important issues of inequality, systemic racism, police violence, and social justice.

Classroom Library Addition

I stumbled across this book while looking for paired texts for the summer reading book I’m assigning my students. I’m so glad I found this. This is something they can relate to because what’s happening in the story is discussion-worthy and relatable in their language. Reminds me of The Hate U Give but it has its own identity in the social justice category. This will be added to my classroom library for my kids to devour.